Improvement in candle-holders



J. VERCH.

Candle Holder.

Patented July 10,1866.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEQ JULIUS VEROH, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

I M PROVEM ENT I'N CANDLE-HOLDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 56,293, dated July 10, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUs Vnncn, of the city of Albany, State of New York, have invented an Improved Candle-Holder for Use in Railroad-Oars and other Suitable Places and I declare the following specification, with the drawings forming part thereof, to be a full and complete description of my invention.

Figure 1 represents my invention, one half being a profile view, the other half a vertical central section. Fig. 2 is an entire central sectional view on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3, a similar sectional view of the candle-holder now in use in railroad-cars.

Similar letters denote the same parts of the apparatus.

A represents a ring, of wood, by which the apparatus is to be attached to the roof of the car. From this depends a pair of hollow-metal arms, B B, through which pass chains to a, the upper ends of which are wound around a small drum or barrel, 0, lying within a cavity in the ring, and containing a spiral spring, 6, similar in its arrangement to the barrel and mainspring of a watch. The lower ends of these chains are attached to a pair of arms D, which belong to the candle-holder.

The holder consists of a hollow metal cylinder open at the top, but closed at bottom, and which has a spreading top, G, of a vase form, inclosing the upper part of the tube, and from which the arms D project. Within this cylinder lies the tubeHH,in diameter large enough to hold a candle, N, but longer than it, closed at bottom and open at top, where it is secured to a collar, f, standing upon a base-ring, with a flange, g, extending downward from its outer edge, so as to embrace the top of tube E, upon which the ring rests. Near the base of g a basin, h, surrounds it, for purposes hereinafter referred to.

To the collar f, by a screw cut into its outer surface and acorresponding one upon another collar, 70, there is supported the top or cap M, constructed of two shells, held apart by metal strips, the inner shell of which, as shown in the drawings, contains the upper part of the candle N, while the outer shell serves to receive from beneath and direct upward a current of air between the shells to the flame.

The candle N extends from the top of the cap M downward into the tube H, standing upon a disk, (I, which is held and driven upward by a spiral spring, S.

The globe T is attached to the cap by means of a metal ring, W, which has a downward flange embracing the upper rim of the vase G. From this flange project arms X, by which the ring with the globe are attached to the ring A A through the arms B.

The operation of the apparatus is thus: The parts being in the position represented, Fig. l, and suspended from the top of the car, the tube E is drawn downward (the springs 6 being wound up by the movement) far enough to per- Init the cap M, with the candle-tube H, to be lifted out from it. The cap is then to be unscrewed and a candle inserted within tube H. The cap is then to be screwed on, by which the candle will be pressed down within its tube, compressing the spring S beneath it. The candle being lighted, the cap and tube are to be replaced within the tube E, and the whole lifted up by the springs cto their proper place. As a portion of the candle burns away the spring S presses the remainder upward until the whole is consumed.

The advantages that I consider my apparatus to possess over the ordinary car candle-holder are these: The outer case of the holder, J, (see Fig. 3) is fixed to the car by light metal arms P, and the frame-work or cage Q Q, within which the candle is placed, is attached to a bottom piece, 1%, the frame with the candle and spring being entered into the case from below and secured, when in place, to it by the usual device of a projecting pin, p, entering through a notch into an annular groove, and then the frame and pin turned around within the ring. This operation is necessarily repeated often daily, and the efi'ect of the friction of the pin within the groove is sufficient to produce such a strain upon the outer case, J, as to break it from its arms P or twist off the arms themselves.

My arrangement, simply requiring the drawing down of the holder and its replacement by the spring and chain, entirely obviates this very serious difficulty in the use of the apparatus.

Another inconvenience is now suffered with the present holder from the fact that the surplus grease, which will always pass ofi' from the candle and overflow the edge of the cap which confines it, runs down by the channels into the case, and, gathering around the spring, clogs its action, and produces serious irregularity in the movement of the candle. This in my apparatus is guarded against by the inclosure of the candle within a close case, instead of a frame or case, and the employment of a basinor reservoir, h, to receive the overflow of tallow, as will be seen from Fig. 2.

Another difficulty with the present holder is occasioned by the mode of securing the cap Z, which holds the candle, down upon the spring. It is secured to the outer case of the holder at y by a groove and pin, and it frequently occurs that from breaking 05 the pin the cap becomes detached and flies with great force, propelled by the spring, up against the globe above and destroys it. In my apparatus this is prevented by the connection of the cap and holder being made with the screw joint of the rings f and 70, as shown in Fig. 2

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The suspension of the candle-holder E, with its apparatus, by the chains a a and the barrels CO, with their springs a e, as described.

2. The candle-tube El, entirely closed on the sides and bottom, with its basin h, serving to prevent the access of grease dripping to the spring S, as described.

3. The method of securing the cap M to the candle-tube H by the screw-collarsf and k, in the manner and for the purpose described.

4. The combination of the outer tube, E, the candle-tube H, and the cap M with the globe T and its attachments to the candle-holder, in the manner and for the purpose described.

Witnesses: JULIUS VERGH.

RIoHD. VARIGH DE WITT, A. V. DE WITT. 

